Railway ballast displacing and digging machine



Nov. 4, 1952 F..H. PHILBRICK RAILWAY BALLAST DISPLACING AND DIGGINGMACHINE Filed Nov. 17, 1947 4 Sheetg-Sheet 1 O O O LE-"u oop' ooo

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Nov. 4, 1952 F. H. PHIL'B'RICK 2,516,192

RAILWAY BALLAST DISPLACING AND DIGGING MACHINE Filed Nov. 17, 1947 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 4, 1952 K F. ril. PHILBRICK RAILWAY BALLASTDISPLACING AND DIGGING MACHINE Fi1ed` NOV 17, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov.4, 1952 HH." PHIL'BRICK 2,516,192

RAILWAY BALLAST DISFLACING AND DIGGING MACHINE File NOV. 17, 1947A 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Z 7 @www j M AMM/w,

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Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY BALLASTDISPLACING AND DIGGING MACHINE The invention relates to machines fordigging or displacing ballast from the cribs between the ties ofrailways.

In ballast digging machines of the drop hammer type in which thedisplacing tools are mounted on the drop head for loosening the ballastand moving it transversely from the cribs between the ties to the sidesof the track, the stresses and impact to which the machine is subjectedare increased as the ballast is progressively removed from the cribswhen it becomes less effective in checking the drop head and thedisplacing tools. When the displacing tools are pivotally mounted in thedrop head to swing transversely of the track, they change in theirangular position as the level of the ballast is lowered and this rendersthem subject to breaking stresses. Heretofore in machines of the drophammer type it has been necessary to use shock absorbing or cushioningdevices of very heavy, rugged and complex construction to check themovements of the drop head toward the end of each displacing operation.

One object of the invention is to provide a ballast displacing machineof the drop head type in which these shock absorbing or cushioningdevices can be eliminated. This object is attained primarily byproviding a series of auxiliary picker tools which engage and dig intothe ballast in a full adjoining crib and become effective to relieve themachine of the objectionable stresses and impact after a predeterminedamount of the ballast has been progressively removed from the crib beingcleared. These auxiliary picker tools accomplish useful work inloosening the ballast in a full adjoining crib to expedite itssubsequent displacement by the displacing tools and dispenses with thenecessity of shock absorbing or cushioning devices.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a ballast diggingmachine of the drop hammer type which operates in an improved manner andsimplifles the construction of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to providev means for rendering theauxiliary picker teeth onthe drop head inoperative when it is notdesired to loosen the ballast in the crib adjoining the one from whichthe ballast is being displaced. -0ther objects will appear from thedetailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafterdescribed andmore particularly pointed out in the claims at theconclusion hereof.

- Inl'the drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse section of a machine embodying the invention,taken on line I-I of Fig. 3, the drop head being shown in its loweredposition;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional View of one of the lifting chains for thedrop head and a coacting abutment on said head;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, illustrating one of thepicker tools;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, the drophead being shown in its raised position;

Fig. 6 is a, sectional perspective illustrating the guide rollers andtracks for the drop head and a section of the cam and roller forshifting one of the digger tools;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the cam structure for pivotally shifting thedigger tools; and

Fig. 8 is a front elevation illustrating mechanism for rendering thepicker tools ineffective when desired.

Fig. 9 is a section of one of the air cylinders for lifting the pickertools.

The invention is exemplied with a portable frame or truck which isequipped with usual front and rear wheels to travel on the rails of arailway track and is also equipped with a motor and transmission gearing(not shown) for propelling the truck and for providing power foroperating the drop head which carries the ballast displacing tools, forexample, as exemplied in Patent No. 2,082,594. The frame compriseslongitudinal beams Il, cross-connected by trans.

ing the ballast in the cribs are pivotally mounted.Y

Mechanism for imparting lifting strokes tc the head t comprises atransverse shaft 24 which is continuously driven from the motor on thetruck frame by suitable gearing (not shown) and is journalled in bearingbrackets 26 which are supported on cross-beam I4 of the truck frame, apair of sprocket wheels 30 which are xed to shaft 24, a pair of idlersprockets 36 on shafts 24' and sprocket chains 33 between sprockets 3Dand 36. Intermittent lifting strokes are imparted to head t from shaft24 by rollers 38 which are carried by link chains 33 and are adapted tointermittently engage abutments 39 which are fixed to the head t. Eachidler sprocket 33 is journalled in a lever 31 which is fulcrurned on thetruck frame and is urged to keep its chain taut by a spring 42 appliedto the upper end of a rod which is `pivoted on one end-of said lever.The transversely aligned rollers 38 of chains 33 during their upwardtravel will engage abutments 39 which are xed on head t and lift ituntil said rollers ride off said Vabutments at the end of eachup-stroke. The rollers`38 will then release the head t for a hammerstroke to the tools carried thereby.

The ballast displacing or `digging mechanism carried by the cross-head tcomprises a series of tools Z, Z1, Z2 and Z3 which are adapted tto diginto and displace, during each drop stroke, some v of the ballast in Aav.crib transversely to one side of the .track and a .similar.,Qppositely acting series1of .tools .m1, m2 .and .m3 which are adaptedto displace the remainer of ballast transversely Yto the other side/ofthe track. The tools Zand m .arepivoted at .21 kand the :remaining toolsare pivoted at their upper ends on studs 22 which vare supported in thevertically movable head t.

The displacing tools yare positively .and pivotally swung transversely,during the-.drop strokes of head t vfor displacing ballast `from .thecribs, and as the level of the ballast is lowered .the angularmovementof the tools ,is increased. .For this purpose Ytool Z and tool.m areeach provided with an upstanding :arm 55 which has `a roller 56journalled in its upper end. Rollerst` :rideon the straightAupperportionszof `edges of .members 48 of the cam structure hereinafter.described during the upper portion .of the strokeof .head t and oncams.51 during the lower portions of the strokes of said head for positivelyswinging the displacing tools outwardly Yand transversely to displaceballast from the -cribs. Tools Z1, Z2 and Z3 are positively :shifted by,tool Z and tools m1, m2 and m3 are positively shifted .by tool m. ToolZ is provided with'a cam or abutment 59 Awhich engages `a cam orabutment -60 on tool Z1; tool Z1 is provided with Aa cam or abutment 6|which engages a cam vor abutment -62 on tool Z2 and tool Z2 is providedwith an abutment 63 which engages a-n .abutment 54 y.on tool Z3. Theseabutments positively swing this series of tools transversely andoutwardly so that the lower ends of the tools will, when dropped, Ndiginto the ballast .and displace the ballast outwardly from the crib. Theopposi'tely acting set of .tools lm, .m1J .m2 and m3 are ,provided withsimilar abutments .for positively swinging this series of tools from :acam -51' and a roller 5B and .an arm 55 to .displace ballast from a cribto the opposite side of the track. The displacing tools of each set aretransverselyarranged `to progressively .displace the `bal-last from `the.central portion of the track to one vside thereof. Tools Z, Z1, and Z2,m, .m1 and m2 .are adapted to work in the crib between `the rails todisplace the ballast outwardly under the rails. The tools Z3 and m3extend over the rails and to the .outer sides thereof respectively forAmoving the ballast beyond the ends of .the ties during the .lift ofvthe drop-head. The tools swing inwardly by gravity during their idleup-stroke under control of the tools Z and m which are controlled `byarms .55. rollers 5.6 :and ,cams 51. The lower end of each of the toolsZa and m3 is also guided by a roller 59 which is mounted in the lowerportion of the carrying structure for the drophead.

A structure in which cross-head t is mounted includes means forvertically guiding said crosshead and a vertically extending camstructure for pivotally shifting the displacing tools carried by 'saidhead. This structure .comprises a pair of upright 4channel-beams d, theupper ends of which are rigidly cross-connected by a chan- -nel beam d.The cam structure for pivotally -shifting .the `digger tools carried bythe head t tis .spaced 'longitudinally from upright beams d vto providea space for the operation of the .cross-head t, and is built up of sidemembers 48, the upper ends of which are rigidly crossconnected by yachannel beam d2 through plates 49 .and spacer bars 5U. This camstructure comprises a plate 5l fixedly secured to the lower ends .of.side members .48 .and reinforced lby channel .beams '52, .and.connecting members 53, 54 between the side members 48. The lower ends.of .upright `beamsdand .the cam structure are rigidly .connected byshoes 4l. A Vbridge plate 451s rigidly connected to the .upper .ends of`beams d and-d2. .The .edges ofside members 48 are provided with camportions '5.1 for shifting the rollers .56 on .therarms 55 whichpivotally operate the displacing tools.

The cross-head1? is .guided vertically ,by .tracks f which `are .angular.in .cross-section and are iixedly secured -to .the inner .face ofupright beams d of lthe guide structure. .Rollers j ,are journalledbetween .-a plate f2 which forms .an upward extension on thevcross-head. and .a lbar f3 lixed to .said plate, and engage the faces.f4 of tracks ,f ,and .confine the cross-head transversely .between saidtracks. Rollers ,f5 .are journalled in brackets f6 which are .xedlysecured to plate f2, .engage the face j7 of vtrack f and confine thecross-head t against forward movement. Rollers ,f3 are journalled inbrackets i9 which are fixed to .the cross-head, engage thefront face ofthe side members 48of the cam structure and confine the cross-headagainst rearward movement.

Shoes 4| on thelower ends .of upright guide and cam structure for the.cross-head t are adapted to engage the railway tracks when the load ofthe cross-head and the 'tools carried thereby .is imposed upon saidstructure, the .latter being spring-supported .on vthe ytruck frame `tolift the shoes off .the railway .rails when .the load of thecross-headis imposed on the `truck frame through the vlifting .mechanism(chains 33 .and .rollers 38), so that .during the up-strokes of lthe.cross-head, the shoes will `be spring-lifted off the .rails to permitthe machine to be moved along the railway track. For this purpose,vertical .rods e have their upper ends -xedl-y secured in :brackets ewhich are fixed to cross beam d2., :and their lower ends fixed Ainbrackets e2 whichare fixed to crossbeam 5.2, ,and are slidably mounted.in .lower bearingse4 ,and upper bearings e5 both of which are xedlysecured .-to the truck frame. Lift-springs e6 are .interposed betweenbearings e5, and adjustable vcollars 'e'1 on :rods e. The front side ofthe .structure is also .yieldingly supported by :coil springs e8 whichare interposed between abutments e9 on Afront :channel beam .I4 andbrackets el which are fixed tothe upright beams d.` Rods e11 extendthrough springs es and are provided with nuts for limiting the upwardmovement v.of the guide and `cam structure by .said springs.

During the operation' of the machine, the springs e, e will lift theguide: structure during vthe up-strokes of the cross-head t while itsload is transmitted through the lifting chains to Vthe truck frame.During the drop strokes while the load of head t is imposed on the guideand'cam structure through the tool-shifting rollers 56 and cams 51 andfriction of the guide rollers on their tracks, said structure will beforced downwardly against the force of springs-e64 and e8 until theshoes 4| engage and are directly supported on the railway rails a.During the up-strokes of the drop head and the tools, the shoes will belifted oi the railway rails by saidsprings to permit the truck to bepropelled along the railway track for successively digging the ballastfrom the cribs. When it is desired to'transport the machine along therailway track from place to place without operating the cross-head, itis desirable, to lift and hold the cam and guide structure of thecross-head'for additional clearance between shoes 4| and the railwaytracks. For this purpose, a pair of pneumatic rams g are supported onthe truck frame and include stems g' which are adapted to engage bridgeplates g2 which are xed on beams g3 which are secured to the cross-beamsd and d2, for lifting and holding raised the guide and cam structure.-Whenthe stems g' are pneumatically raised, they will engage plates `g2and lift and hold the cam and increase in severity and the angularmovement of the tools will increase, which increases the breakingstresses exerted on them. Heretofore.'

heavy, rugged and complex shock absorbing devices have been used toreduce the severity of the impact blows and decrease the stresses on thetools and other parts. The invention provides a series of auxiliarypicker tools which dig into and loosen the ballast in the full crib inadvance of the one from which the ballast is displaced. These auxiliarypicker tools are mounted on the drop head and are vertically positionedto become effective when the level of the ballast being displaced islowered to the point'wliere these severe shocks and stresses occur andfunction near the ends of the drop strokes of the head and tools, toeliminate said shocks andl tudinally spaced relation f the truckfram'e'from the displacing toolsA so they will be in vertical alignmentwith the crib in advance of the o'ne from which the ballast is beingdisplaced. These auxiliary tools comprise a transverse series of pickers64 at one side and a similar series of pickers at the other sideofv themachinef, These'. pickers are mounted on an extension of drop head t sothey will beoperated vertically and rectilinearly. The points :on thelower ends of the pickers are disposed tabove the lhorizontal plane ofthe lower ends of the displacing tools so that they will not engage theballast in a filled crib until the displacing tools have beenprogressively operated to remove the ballast to a depth about 2 to 21/2"above the depth of the fully cleared crib. As a result, the pickers willnot commence to engage the ballast in the filled crib until some timebefore the displacing tools drop to the depth at which the crib will becleared. The displacing tools, in progressively clearing the ballast,will not be retarded or checked by the pickers until they approach` apredetermined depth. Thereafter the pickers. during the drop strokes ofhead t, will encounter the ballast in the filled crib and reduce theimpact blows of the drop head and the stresses on' the displacing toolsuntil the ballast has been cleared to the desired depth from the crib.VThese pickers thus function to overcome violent impacts of the drop headon the cam structure and stresses on displacing tools and also loosenthe ballast in a full crib to expedite the displacement of the ballastwhen the machine is advanced intol position to displace the ballast fromthe next succeeding crib.

The upper ends of picking tools 64 are pivotally mounted in a channelbar 65 which is supported by a structural extension on front plate 23 ofdrop head t which comprises plates 66 and angle bars 61 which are weldedto the front plate 23 and extension plate f2 of the drop head t. E'achtool 64 is pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft 13 which extends throughthe depending flanges of bar 65 and is provided with a one-way abutment66a. A coil spring 15 between bar 65 and each picker B4 presses theabutment 66a, against said bar and permits the picker to yield laterallyto deflect and loosen the ballast during the penetration of the toolinto the ballast.

The operation of the machine will be as follows: The truck on which themachine is mounted will be spotted along the railway track so that thedisplacing tools willA be operable in a vertical plane substantially atthe center of a filled crib. The pickers will then be positioned in thevertical plane at the center of the crib in advance of the one in whichthe displacing tools are operative. The drop head t will operate thedisplacing tools and progressively displace the ballast transverselyfrom the crib. At the commencement of va displacing operation, thedisplacing tools will dig a portion of the top-most ballast and removeit transversely. During the continued operation of the drop head, thedisplacing tools progressively remove the ballast from the crib andtheir strokes will be progressively increased as the ballast is removeduntil the crib has been cleared to the desired depth. During the initialstrokes of the displacing tools, the ballast will mainly check theimpact blows. As the'ballast is progressively displaced, its level willbe lowered and the angular movement of the tools will increase. As thelevel of the ballast is lowered to a predetermined point, the pickers 64will commence to engage and loosen the ballast in the filled adjoiningcrib and check the drop head and displacing tools. i When the first cribhas been cleared of ballast, the machine is ad# vanced tothe adjoiningcrib where the top por-'- tion of the ballast has been loosened -by thepickers. This loosening Lof the ballast by'the pickers will expedite theremoval of the ballast by the displacing tools. Besides eiecting thislloosening of the ballast in advance of `a displacam enea pickers `willreduce tlie stresses s ef 'thef drop -head against tliebarrying land camstructure and the displacing tools during l-the -completionfof thedisplacing operation. This eliminates VVthe necessity of.shocksabsorbing devices. Thus, the picker tools-on'the drop head renderunnecessary heavyand rugged shock-absorbing'or cushioning devices andcause 'the excess vforce inthe drop head Vto be utilized `for looseningthe `ballastin the adjoining lled crib for expediting its -d-isplacementof the ballast.

During 'the upper portion of the dropstrokes of the head and displacingtools, :rollers `56. will ride yon the "upper straight portions of 'thecam structure and the ballast initially removed from the crib will checkthe shocks. During 4completion Vof the clearing Lof vthe crib, rollersr5B will engage thefsteep lowerportions of the'c'amsurfaces -51 forangular movement of 'the displacing tools which produce shocks of*greater magnitude by the yhead to the cam structure and truck frame.YFor this reason, the reduction of the shock toward the completion of adisplacing'operation-is of great importance.

In some repair Work, it may be desirable to leavel the -ballast linladjoining cribs intact. The modified construction illustrated in Fig. 8exemplifies -a construction for rendering the picker toolsinoperative.The upper end of each picker tool 84u is pivotally supported by a stud13a in a channel lbar 65a vand is normally positioned against one-wayixed stop 14 to permit the pickers to be swung laterally and -upwardlyin one direction, Oppositely Amovable rack bars 16 are slidable mountedin channel bar 55a. and mesh with gear teeth 'H on series of pickers onopposite sides of Ythe transverse lcenter of the machine. Bell-crankIlevers 19 are `fulcrumed on brackets 88 which are fixed to plates 66and are pivotally connected to the outer ends of rack bars 18respectively. Fluid pressure cylinders 82 each contain a ypiston 8'!which is operated in one direction by a spring 88 and in the oppositedirection by uid, such as, compressed air, delivered into one end of thecylinder. A pipe 83 supplies air to cylinders 82 under control of asuitable valve 84 which is connected to a suitable source of air supplyand adapted to control the supply of air to and its exhaust fromcylinders 82. Pickers vfilm are normally and yieldingly held againststops 'i4 bythe pressure Aof springs 88 transmitted through pistons 81,levers 19 yand rack bars T8, to hold the piokersin their operativeposition. When it -is desired to -render the picker tools inoperative,valve 84 is manipulated to deliver compressed -air into cylinders 82 toshift the pistons v8l, levers 'i9 and racks 16 which will swing theseries of pickers in rOpposite directions and outwardly and upwardly sothey will clear the ballast in the lled crib duringthe drop-strokes ofthe head t. Springs 88 also per,- mit the pickers 64a to vyieldinglyswing laterally when they engage the ballast, A, bar of Wood 89isinterposed between bar 65u land angle bars E1. By substituting bars 89of different thickness, the penetration of tools 64a relatively to thevertical position of the points of thedisplac-v ing tools can be variedvto time the engagement of the picker tools with the ballast relativelyto the displacing tools.

The invention exemples a machine of the drop-hammer type for'displacing' the ballast from cribs between the ties in which theforceof the .blows transmitted to the guide and frame structure 'are relievedby utilizing force in the drop 4head Ato -l'oosen the ballast in anadjoining illedfcrib and whichrrenders unnecessaryl shockabsorbingdevices for f-'cushioning Ythese blows. The invention also Lexerrrplinesamachine which provides for selectively rendering the` picker toolsinoperative when 'their use is unnecessary. The machine 4also providesfor relative variation -of the extent of the penetration of the pickertools to the-ballast as the digger tools approach their lower-mostposition. u

Theinvention is ynot to be understood as limited to the detailsset-forth since these may be modiedwithinthe scope'of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. v,A

-Having fthusdescribed the invention, what I claim is new and desire tosecure .by Letters Patent is: K

l. In Va machine for digging ballast from a railway road bed, theyeombination of `a drop-head, a portable structure for-carrying thehead,mecha-y nism for -imparting lifting strokes to the head,

tools mounted on the head for transversely and progressively displacingballast from a crib and other tools Ahaving operative strokes impartedthereto by "the head -for engaging the ballast in an adjoining crib,after a portion of the ballast has Abeen displaced yfrom said firstnamed crib, and for reducing the transmission of shocks from the head tothe carrying 'structure by the displacing tools.

2. In a machine for digging ballast from a railway road bed, thecombination of a portable carrying structure, a "vertically reciprocabledrophead operatively mounted in the structure, mechanism -for vimpartinglifting strokes to the drop-head, tools movah'ly mounted on the head fordisplacing ballast from a crib transversely of the railway track, Vmeansfor swinging the tools onthe head during vits down strokes, and pickersmounted on and having operative strokesvi-mparted'thereto by the headfor loosening the ballast in an adjoining crib, after the displacingtools have removed a portion of the ballast from said first named criband for reducing the shocks produced by the head tothe carryingstructure.

3. In a machine 'for digging ballast from a rail- Way Vroad bed, thecombination of a portable carrying structure, 'a vertically reciprocabledrophead operatively mounted in the structure, mech-y anism forimparting lifting strokes to the drophead, vballast displacing tools`pivotally mounted on the head'to swing transversely of the railwaytrack, means including cam tracks for swinging the ltools, on 'the`'head lduring its ldown strokes into a crib, yand pickers mounted onand having operative `strokes imparted thereto by theV head forloosening the ballast in an adjoining crib, after the displacing toolshave removed a portion of 'the .ballast `from Vsaid first named crib andfor reducing the shocks produced by the head to the carrying structure.

i4. In a machine for digging ballast from a railwair road bed, thecombination of a portable carryin'gstructure. a vertically reciprocabledrophead mounted the structure, mechanism for imparting lifting strokesto the head, tools pivotally mounted on the head for transverselydisplacing ballast from a crib, ya rigid extension on the head extendinglover a tie, and pickers mounted on :said extension of the head forvertical movement therewith for loosening the ballast in an adjoiningcrib, after a portion of the ballast has been reinc'ived 'from saidVfirst named crib by the ui'spiaing trs, airdouers between 'the neas andthe carrying structure for resisting the offcenter thrust on theextension by the engagement of the picker tools with the ballast.

5. In a machine for digging ballast from a railway road bed, thecombination of a portable carrying structure, a vertically reciprocabledrophead mounted in the structure, mechanism for imparting liftingstrokes to the head, tools pivotally mounted on the head fortransversely displacing ballast from a crib, pickers mounted on the headfor Vertical operative strokes therewith for loosening the .ballast inan adjoining crib, after a portion of the ballast has been removed fromsaid rst named crib by the displacing tools, and means for rotativelyadjusting the pickers on the head.

6. In a machine for digging ballast from a railway road bed thecombination of a portable carrying structure, a vertically reciprocabledrophead mounted in the structure, mechanism for imparting liftingstrokes to the head, tools mounted in the head for transverselydisplacing ballast from a crib, pickers mounted for vertical movementwith and pivoted on the head for loosening the ballast in an adjoiningcrib, after a portion of the ballast has been removed from said rstnamed crib by the displacing tools, and means for selectively swingingthe pickers on the head to render them inoperative to engage the ballastin the adjoining crib during the operation of the displacing tools.

7. In a machine for digging ballast from a railway road bed, thecombination of a portable carrying structure, a vertically reciprocabledrophead operatively mounted in the structure, ballast displacing toolspivotally mounted on the head to swing transversely of the railway trackand displace ballast from a crib, cam means for swinging the tools onthe head during its down strokes, the angular movement of said toolsincreasing progressively as the depth of the ballast decreases, and aplurality of pickers mounted on said head, said pickers being operativeto loosen the ballast in an adjoining crib and to absorb part of theshock imparted to the carrying structure by the downward strokes of thehead only after the ballast from the rst crib has been displaced apredetermined amount and theangularity of the movement of the ballastdisplacing tools has increased to a predetermined degree.

FRANK I-I. PHILBRICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,082,594 Philbrick June 1, 19372,209,732 Huey July 30, 1940 2,231,177 Banton Feb. l1, 1941 2,309,712Philbrick Feb. 2, 1943

